Magnitude of Workplace Violence and Its Associated Factors among Nurses Working in Public Hospitals in East Wollega Zone Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Workplace violence is a situation in which employees are harassed, intimidated, or assaulted at work or while commuting to and from work, which can result in physical and psychological suffering. Patient‟s, their family or attendants, coworkers, administrators, supervisors, and security guards are common perpetrators for WPV against nurses. Objective: To assess magnitude of work place violence and its associated factors among nurses working in public hospitals of East Wollega Zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia, 2022. Methods: An institution based cross-sectional study was carried out among nurses working in five public hospitals found in east wollega from September 15-October 1, 2022. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research methods. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 396 study participants. Self-administered adapted questionnaire and semi structured questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data. Data was coded and entered into Epi data 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 analysis. Bi-variable and multivariable logistic regressions were done. Level of association was determined using adjusted odds ratio at 95% confidence interval and p-values of 0.05. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis method and triangulated with quantitative data Results: The prevalence of Workplace violence in the last 12 months was 42.8% with 95% CI (37.8, 48.7). Age group 25-29 years [AOR:3.93, 95% CI=1.2, 13.3) and 30-34 years [AOR:4.01, 95%CI=1.4, 11.8], Marital status [AOR:0.4, 95%CI=0.2, 0.92], work experience =<5 years [AOR:2.21, 95%CI= 1.27, 3.82] working between 6:30- 7:30 PM o‟clock [AOR:3.49,95%CI=1.4,8.62], availability of reporting system [AOR:2.58, 95%CI=1.04, 6.4], Encouragement to report violence[AOR:3.98, 95%CI=2.05, 7.72], substance use [AOR:3.56, 95%CI=1.49, 8.46] and ever stressed by job [AOR:3.66, 95%CI=1.8, 7.34] were significantly associated with workplace violence. Qualitative finding clarified that Absence of training and encouragement to report violence, unmet need of the patient and longtime Waite was factors influencing work place violence. Conclusion and recommendation: In current study Workplace violence among nurses was high; Majority of the violence was unreported due to the absence of reporting system, and encouragement to report the violence. Therefore, an intervention like developing reporting system, encouragement to report the violence and training that focuses on prevention and controlling of violence is recommended.